Vol. 4 Issue 8
AUGUST 2013
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OWNER PRESIDENT – Scott Robinson scott@wheelsofthunder.net 612-730-3719
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EDITORIAL STAFF
Special Features
Clay Millican ................................................4
EDITOR/CREATIVE DIRECTOR Betty Schurmann editor@wheelsofthunder.net 763-421-4400
Photographers/Writers
Chad Maki - IWA World Champ ..................12 Open Wheel Nationals ...............................24
District 23 – Moto X....................................36
Antique Motorcycle Club.............................48
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World of Outlaws .......................................54
CEAJA PHILP TOM EDWARDS JESSICA KANKE JENNA OSTERLUND MATT PETERSON MYLIE LAVOLD KIM NILES JOHN LENTZKOW JOHN KRUEGER STEVE CASPER
Reviews
The Drive-In Restaurant ................................18 Billet Connection ........................................67
ADVERTISING STAFF NORTHERN SALES – Scott Robinson scott@wheelsofthunder.net 612-730-3719
Rally’s & Shows Page 48
SOUTHERN SALES - John Lentzkow John.lentzkow@mchsi.com 319-239-1375
Princeton Speedway ...................................44 Quadna Mud Nationals ..............................64
SUBSCRIPTIONS
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Anoka Custom Car Show ............................30
BRRP ..........................................................60
Departments
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IWA World Championship ..........................16
Garage Built.................................................8 Calendar....................................................40
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ABATE of MN.............................................52
Game On!..................................................68
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Written by Steve Casper Photographs Provided by Nicole Erickson, Forward Sports Marketing
HRA's winningest Top Fuel driver is still searching for his first Wally. As the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series makes it's north central swing towards Brainerd, Minnesota this month, an interesting story unfolds with veteran Top Fuel driver Clay Millican
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CLAY MILLICAN; From Forklifts to 320mph Dragsters
The Drummonds, Tennessee native has loved drag racing his entire life. He got his first racecar at the age of 16, and fueled his passion for racing in the Sportsman ranks for many years. As an adult Clay raced as a hobby while working as a forklift operator for Kroger Supermarkets . He took the sport quite seriously though, campaigning a Modified Eliminator entry in the eastern-based IHRA series. His path was soon to change to a fairy tale style story when Top Fuel car owner Peter Lehman took note of the fast southerner's driving style in the late '90s. It wasn't long before Lehman selected Millican to drive his Chicago White Sox-sponsored Top Fuel dragster entry, giving Clay the unbelievable opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of driving professionally.
The goal at first was to learn the game and to establish themselves as the Top Fuel team of the future. What Peter saw in Clay was not only a potentially great driver, but a southern gentleman with an unwavering passion for the sport and genuine appreciation of the fans of drag racing. The wins and awards soon followed. IHRA Rookie of the Year in 2000, followed by Driver of the Year in 2001. By the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the Millican had amassed the most wins of any Top Fuel driver in IHRA history (51) and six consecutive IHRA World Championships (2001-2006). Much of Clay's success was with sponsorship backing from trucking giant Werner Enterprises which became one of the most well-known driver-sponsor alliances in IHRA Top Fuel history. Other incredible IHRA records set by the team include Consecutive Event Wins (10 set in 2002), Top Fuel Consecutive Round Wins (30 set in 2002), Most Wins in a Season (11 set in 2002), IHRA World Record Holder for Elapsed Time and Speed 4.48 @ 328 mph, and Winner of the Biggest Paying Race in Drag Racing History at the Rocket City Nationals in Huntsville, AL (106k). During his career at IHRA, Clay occasionally entered a few NHRA events as his schedule allowed and eventually went full-time near the end of the decade. Now teamed up with Bob Vandergriff Racing, Clay announced a multiyear agreement with Parts Plus that will include the 2013, 2014, and 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. “Our goal has been to add a full-time team to complement our C&J Energy Services team, and we are finally able to do that,� said Bob
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Parks, the founder of the NHRA. At the NHRA Route 66 Nationals, the Parts Plus team rebounded from a tough Q1 start to dominate Q2 and Q3 on Saturday night before reaching the final round of eliminations on Sunday against seven-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher. The Wally was again within Millican’s reach, but it was still not to be. “After not qualifying Friday, there was a lot of pressure heading into Saturday, but the Parts Plus team responded with a great first run that evening,” Millican says. “I was looking at Saturday’s qualifiers as being a homerun derby— you gotta pull that bat back and swing as hard as you can to try to knock it out the park.”
Vandergriff Jr. “To compete on an even playing field with the other elite teams, we knew a second team was paramount to our success. Bringing Parts Plus with their entire network to our program and having the ability to bring a great driver and fan favorite like Clay to our team is a huge plus for us.”
blowover, that's the way to do it!," Millican exclaimed to the TV cameras afterwards.
“I think that put a lot of the other teams on notice that we can run numbers with anyone. Running a car that can put up those kind of numbers certainly gives us the feeling that we’ll be in the top 10 toward the end of the season and ready to slug it out with anybody,” said Clay.
“I’m very excited about joining Bob Vandergriff Racing,” said Millican. “BVR has made great strides and will provide me the opportunity to not only win races, but compete for the championship. Bob has assembled a quality team of crew chiefs and personnel, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming seasons!” Another interesting aspect of Clay's career allowed him to take a bit of a "Hollywood" turn. Apparently the folks at SPEED felt Millican had a great camera presence and invited him to a appear and host several of their most popular shows including Blow It Up, Drag Race High and Pinks All-Out. Clay also scored a gig in 2011 in MTV2's Burnout.
With Millican practically assured of a qualifying position with a Q2 time of 3.78, his BVR teammate Bob Vandergriff then achieved a track record time of 3.74 in Q3, which was likely the best run of his career. After quickly analyzing the data from Vandergriff’s C&J Energy Services/Auto Pride car, BVR crew chief Kurt Elliott made some quick adjustments to the Parts Plus dragster—with Millican already strapped in and ready to roll—including the speed of the clutch and a modification of the timing map. The result: a blazing time of 3.75 for Millican and the Parts Plus car.
With nearly every Top Fuel event thus far in the 2013 season, Clay seems to be inching his way closer to earning his first “Wally,” the trophy affectionately named in honor of the late Wally
“If we can maintain this kind of consistency, we feel like it’s only a matter of time before we get that win light in the final round—then I can finally add one of those Wallys to those 50-something Top Fuel Ironman Trophies that I’ve got at home!”
One of the strangest turn of events during Millican's career as a pro racer took place nearly 10 years ago when he encountered a blowover. Unlike many of the violent Top Fuel blowovers we were used to seeing during that time, Clay's will surely go down in history as one of the gentlest blowovers in drag racing history (you can look it up on YouTube- type in Clay Millican 2005 Blowover). His dragster wheelies over backwards just like any other blowover, but instead of disintegrating and bouncing off walls, it gently settles down on the rear wing and a piece of front bodywork as it lazily slides to a halt. Clay of course was injured and the car only had damage to the wing and bodywork. Even though the car got upside down, there wasn't a scratch on the rollbar. "I guess if we're going to have a
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Owner/Enthusiast:
Christopher Olson
1968 Chrysler 300
Having had the opportunity to shoot for Wheels of Thunder over the last couple of years has certainly had its advantages. I have seen some of the most amazing vehicles and attended some of the most interesting and exciting events in and around the state. When it came time to build another personal car for myself I often wondered what it would
be. I have a passion for pro street cars with incredible horse power and street presence. I love that they rumble and can beat anyone to the gas station. But now having two that currently get around 3.5 miles to the gallon and the fact that they are not exactly kid friendly, I thought that a change might be in order for the next one.
Stock Original This is where it all started!
Sound Familiar? Do you have a story of your custom ride? E-mail editor@wheelsofthunder.net and you could be featured with your ride in the next issue!
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I should point out that I like odd ball cars. I like cars that you wouldn’t likely see many other places. So in the winter of 2013 I accidentally stumbled on to this one. Rush city is a small town located just north of the cities about 40 minutes on HWY 35. I had actually traveled up there to look at another car and there it was. A 1968 Chrysler 300. At first I wasn’t really sure what it was because I didn’t know that they even made a 300 in 68(I wasn’t born until 72’). The Owner of Rush City Auto Todd Johnston was selling the car along with some other collectable cars and this one just happened to catch my eye. He explained that the original owner had traded the car in and he bought it from another dealer that didn’t really specialize in older classic vehicles so the car ended up in Rush City MN. That owner put a lot of work into the car including a rebuilt 440, stainless exhaust along with many other parts and accessories that got the car running in pretty good condition. So I bought it thinking that I would pull that motor and possibly use it on something else. Once home I started to research the vehicle. In 1968 it looks as though this particular model was sort of a last ditch effort to bring dismal sales of the old boat back to Chrysler. They put hide away headlights and added many of the amenities of the New Yorker but with a distant flare mostly attributed to the grille. How about another one? You can find 4 door New Yorkers all over the place for very reasonable prices and so I thought that this would be a similar situation. But, I found myself entirely wrong with that assumption. There are a few 1968 300’s out there but many have been scrapped or run in the derby. Internet searches found few results and if I did find something similar they were 2 doors and somewhat pricey for what the car was (my humble opinion). When I was a kid I remember driving in these big boats with my grandparents and we could fit 7 or 8 people in these kinds of cars and float down the road. Spilling your ice cream was just a wipe away off of the vinyl seats and they were really the SUV’s of their day. They came with power-
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ful gas sucking engines and big rear ends. This particular car came with factory air and ornate vinyl seats with emblems sewn into the head rests. So as I started to recall the fond memories of childhood the car took on a new purpose. The next mission is always the wife. She is usually supportive of my decisions on these matters but on this one she did bring up a good point. It looks like something my grandparents would drive and to spend a whole bunch of money restoring it might prove to be a fruitless endeavor. So I got to work and started trying to figure out what to do with it. First was just to research the car. There is a lot of good info on the internet. I also looked for cars that had taken on a life of their own with the owners help, and then it hit me. I was watching one of the older, less sinister batman movies with my 5 year old and he said “look daddy that car you just bought looks like the mobster car in the movie!”. I’m not really sure what got him on that but the little ones have an imagination that is many times much more interesting than an adults! I met with a very good friend of mine that owns Deadline Customs, Jeff Urman. He is probably in my opinion one of the greatest airbrush artists in the world. His art is amazing and his imagination is just as fleeting as my 5 year old son. He and I discussed “Cooling it up” and so we mulled over the different options. Paint, stance and finish became the focal point and it now was up to me to start ripping the car into many pieces to get this done. I will say that luck was on my side as far as the rust issue. The car sat in a dry barn since the early 80’s. In its life it only accumulated 70k miles and was very clean. This made the resto fairly easy. We disassembled the entire car, interior and all, got the air working and added a stereo system that will rattle your teeth if you turn it up too loud (kids love it). With any of these projects that I have ever taken on, the biggest worry always seems to be the body work. Paint and body work is expensive and not any old body shop is equipped to handle old cars. This takes an experienced team to make sure that the body shop owner and the ve-
hicle owner are both happy. I found my team at Heritage Auto body in Coon Rapids. Mike Knoll was recommended to me from a friend and I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. We decided to use a 2005 Lapis Blue paint color that was on the Late model Chrysler 300. Also, Mike helped me to make a choice as to how far I wanted to go on the car. It is no secret that you can spend far more on body work than a car is even worth in no time, so we decided that it was not necessary to do a full frame off restoration as the car had little to no rust at all. I really appreciate Mikes help and would recommend him for any resto needs that might come your way. They move fast so be ready to get involved and get things done. This was not the shop that seems to take decades to get your car done. I was certainly impressed! The largest issue that I faced was the lower body trim moldings. The ones that were on there were in pretty good condition but certainly not ‘new’ condition. So I elected to find a restoration shop that can touch them up. They turned out better and good enough to put on for now, but I will always be looking. I had the car lowered 3.5 inches and changed out the old steel rims with 20” wheels and low pro tires. It brought the car up to a newer look and can easily be changed back at any time without much hassle. Window tint, new interior to match the original and a headliner (because the old one smelled like an old closet), the top was in good condition but, was starting to show its age so a new one was installed. Whallah, The Chrysler 300 was born again. My kids love it. When we drive to car shows the spectators aren’t really sure what to make of it but seem to enjoy it. Apparently I am not the only one who didn’t know there was a 4 door 300 in 1968 in this world. The car is a blast to drive around with plenty of power in the 440 and the hard top is a real hit. Make no mistake, yes it is longer than a 4 door F250 and it takes up some real estate in the garage but for a Sunday cruiser I think that I found something that my kids just might remember.
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W
atercross racer Chad Maki has been a major contender on the IWA circuit for 9 years, starting when he was just 13 years old. Following the 2012 World Championships, where he won both the Pro-stock and Pro-open classes, Maki got married, graduated from the University of St. Thomas, moved to Hudson, Wisconsin and started a new job with 3M. With all these major life events happening at once, Maki decided to take the 2013 racing season off, at least until he headed back to Grantsburg WI, to defend his IWA World Champion titles on July 27 and 28. Photo by Tom Reichel Photography
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Written by Mylie Lougheed
Photo by Tom Reichel Photography
Photos by Tom Reichel Photography
Maki was looking to capture his sixth Prostock championship, which would break the record of 5 consecutive wins, which he set last year. He was also looking to set a new record by winning his third Pro-open title (he won in 2010 and 2012). “It’s rare that someone sweeps both pro classes,” says Maki. Maki came on strong and swept the Prostocks taking first in all three rounds and clinching the title to set the new record. “I had good lane draws in the rounds and had lane 1 in the finals which is always nice,” explains Maki. “Both Dale Lindbeck and Howie Steenberg were in the final with me.
All three of us were very close in lap times and usually whoever gets out in front first wins and this time was no different. I was able to push it for a couple of laps and take the lead and then just kind of coast and take it easy while Howie and Dale battled it out in the rough water.” The weekend wasn’t all smooth sailing as Maki ran into some difficulty in the Proopen division. Although he took rounds 2 and 4 on day one, rounds 1 and 3 weren’t as successful. “We adjusted the clutching on Saturday because it was cooler and we thought it would pull more weight,” he explained. “I found out in my first heat that was not the case as I sank in the corner while leading.” In the third heat, Maki’s track derailed as he was fending off another racer around the buoys. “No one has ever seen that happen before. It was really weird,” he said. “I was going about 60 or better and my sled just barrel rolled.” Even with two DNF’s, Maki qualified to race on Sunday. He won his first heat but hit a wave wrong in his second semi-final heat and flipped his sled. Unfortunately that knocked him out of the finals, denying Maki of his 3rd Pro-open title. Maki’s performance was good enough for a 7th place finish over all.
Photo by Tom Reichel Photography
August 2013
I asked Maki what advice he had for upcoming racers, to which he quoted; it’s better to be a little fish in a big pond than a big fish in a little pond. “I was winning a lot of races in semi-pro classes but when I started running pro-stock and especially pro-open, I learned so much,” he exwww.WheelsofThunder.net
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to Maki’s Aunt, Gina. Denny’s Downtown Lanes in Grantsburg is another long time supporter and sponsor. Maki’s Dad grew up in Grantsburg and often took his family there on visits. Maki and his friends would hang out at the bowling alley. When Maki starting racing, Denny helped him by paying his entry fees. Today, Denny is not only Maki’s sponsor, but is also a supporter of other racers and the sport in general. “The night before the races, racers come in and bowl for free, drop their name in a hat and Denny draws five or so names and pays the entry fees for the winners,” explains Maki. “Denny gives back to the racing community that supports his business.” plained. “It was great to jump up and ride with people who were so much better than me.” Even with World Championships to his credit, Maki says he still gets nervous. “I am probably the most nervous guy you’ll ever meet on the starting line.” Maki also says he still sees himself as the slow guy or the underdog and that he still looks to other racers for lessons today. “There are so many fast guys out there and I look to see what they are doing better than me.” Another saying that Maki keeps in mind is; luck favors the prepared. “I have had a lot of things happen that seem really lucky, and they were,” he explains. “But at the same time, people that study for a test tend to be luckier when they guess their answers than people who haven’t studied. The same
thing goes for racing or any sport. The guys who are good didn’t get there through just luck. There’s a lot of preparation and a lot of practice.” Maki also knows the importance of having supportive sponsors. “We have good relationships with all our sponsors, most of them have been with us for a long time.” says Maki. “They have all been great and it takes great products to win.” Sponsors become like family, literally in some cases. Danner Sales, the local Ski Doo dealer, and the Maki family have strong ties. Both Maki and his Dad (IWA founder Mark Maki) worked at Danner in the past. “Jerry (owner) has helped us out a lot. He is about the nicest guy on the planet,” says Maki. “He is like a grandfather to me.” Maki goes on to add that Jerry’s son, Doug, is married
Photo by Tom Reichel Photography
So what’s next for Maki? Unlike many watercross racers, he doesn’t race snocross. “I’m a recreational trail rider in the winter,” says Maki. A self proclaimed nerd, Maki says he is a very analytical person, which surprises people who really only know him from watercross. “I like reading and studying, watercross is the only kind of extreme thing I do.” This winter you are likely to find Maki happily buried in a book, spending time with his bride Kirsten and reveling in the world of business and research. But be on the lookout next summer when Maki could break his own record again and take home #7! Page 14
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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Grantsburg, WI July 19-21, 2013
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TAYLORS FALLS, MN
GRANTSBURG, WI
572 Bench Street Taylors Falls, MN 55084
133 State Hwy 70 Grantsburg, WI 54840
(651) 465-7831
(715) 463-2056
W
hen Allan Anderson opened his Drive In on July 5, 1956, Eisenhower was president, Nixon was vice president, the United States tested the first H-bomb, a first class stamp cost 3 cents and Elvis’ "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog," single was #1. Society has seen a lot of changes over the past 57 years but the Drive In Restaurant still feels like 1956. Under the ownership of Wade and Carol Vitalis, the Drive In has established itself as favorite of both locals and tourists and often tops the “best of” lists for its homemade root beer and handmade burgers.
When the Vitalis’ took ownership of the Tayolor’s Falls, MN restaurant in 1988, they breathed new life into the property, creating a 1950’s style drive-in which includes car hops, poodle skirts and nostalgic music that takes you back to another era. They also added an 18-hole miniature golf course, which adds to the family friendly atmosphere. For the Vitalis’, there is a history and strong ties to what is much more than a building. Wade Vitalis, grew up in Taylors Falls and fondly remembers enjoying cold root beer and hot dogs at the restaurant in the 1970’s. His wife Carol and sister Gail both worked at the Drive In. Today, Wade, Carol and their three children operate the “family business” in much the same fashion the Anderson family did in 1956, delivering fresh, high quality food in a fun and family friendly environment.
direction of manager Tricia Jansen, who has worked for the Vitalis’ for 13 years (she was 14 when she started), business is growing. Plans to add a mini-golf course are the works for a 2017 opening. This is all part of Vitalis’s vision to have locations that mirror each other. One thing that sets the Grantsburg location apart is the option of inside dining. This offers an alternative to carhop service or patio dining and also allows the restaurant to be open year round.
The Vitalis’ expanded their operation to Grantsburg, Wisconsin in 2010. Under the Page 18
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You can often find classic cars parked at both locations, especially on weekend evenings. Cars were a big part of the 50’s and cruising down to the local drive in to hang out and maybe show off a little was common. The Grantsburg Drive In hosts a classic car night every Saturday from 4-8 p.m. where collectors can shoot the breeze and talk shop and customers can enjoy seeing some great examples of classic American cars. Jansen says she loves the classic car nights and how they really make it feel like you are back in the 50’s and 60’s. “Working at the Drive In from such a young age, I really fell in love with that era, the cars, and just the simplicity of things. I want to give people a place where they can go and even if for just one night, go back to that era.” Jansen is passionate about providing the complete old time drive in experience. “When you come to the Drive In, you get every aspect of that, the cars, the hops August 2013
(even though we don’t do it on roller skates like they used to), and the music,” she says. “I want grandparents and parents to come and share with their families what it was like before cell phones, and microwaves.” Both locations are reasonable driving distance from the Twin Cities and have become popular destinations for families looking to eat great food while enjoying the St. Croix Riverway. Taylors Falls is a small historic village nestled amongst the hills of the St. Croix River with a population of around 1,000. Visitors come to the area for the beautiful scenery and the many recreational activities offered. Known as the “Gateway to Crex Meadows”, the largest wildlife area in Wisconsin, and with a population of less than 2,000, Grantsburg is not much bigger than Taylors Falls. It has that same small town charm that makes it a perfect location for the Drive In’s second location.
under $11.00! If you are at the Grantsburg store, order the Frisco burger while you can. Served on fresh toasted bakery bread, this is a customer favorite. Jansen’s favorite is the mushroom and swiss, served on texas toast with mushrooms sautéed to order. The crinkle fries are classic but if you want to change things up, try the fried green beans.
Both locations are easy to find, just look for the giant rotating mug of root beer! What is so special about these restaurants that keep people coming back? Some say it’s the homemade root beer served in frosty mugs, others say it’s the juicy handmade burgers that you just don’t find anymore. If you ask Jansen, it’s the whole package; the food, the friendly service, the small town atmosphere and the opportunity to take brief trip back in time to when things were simpler. If you go: The Duke Burger is the signature burger. Get the basket and add a large mug of root beer and your tab will still be August 2013
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Written by Stan Meissner Photography by Steve Casper The Saint Croix Valley Raceway is often referred to as “the secret” due to it's country setting and exciting racing. The track is a banked quarter mile dirt oval located north of Highway 8 near Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin. Saint Croix Valley Raceway is operated by partners Ron Bernhagen and Rick Mastell and has seen many improvements since they took over the facility in 2011. The best way I can describe a Sprint Car Feature at Saint Croix Valley is to imagine twenty lit bottle rockets confined to a laundry tub. If you can picture the chaos that would produce you would be close to what a twenty car UMSS Feature looks like at the secret. Fortunately UMSS Features aren't as chaotic as my analogy thanks to the skills of the talented drivers that compete in the series. Page 24
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Stan Meissner Photo Scotty Thiel was the winner of the UMSS Open Wheel Nationals $5,000 to win Main Event at the Saint Croix Valley Raceway on Saturday June 29.
Saint Croix Valley Raceway held their second annual Open Wheel Nationals June 28-29. This year's version provided two nights of racing and included UMSS winged and Traditional (non-wing) Sprint Cars, unsanctioned Modifieds and WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds. The Modifieds only appeared on Friday and WISSOTA's seventy five mile rule necessitated that the Midwest Modifieds be unsanctioned on Saturday. The event boasted a star studded field of 360 racers that included three former Stan Meissner Photo
Jeremy Nelson won the Friday night Open Wheel Nationals Modified Feature at the Saint Croix Valley Raceway. August 2013
UMSS champions, two Knoxville weekly competitors and drivers from as far away as Canada, Nebraska and eastern Wisconsin. Former UMSS Champions included Leigh Thomas, Cody Hahn and Jerry Richert Jr. Lou Kennedy Jr. and his son Thomas made the long tow down from Winnipeg and Springfield Nebraska's Jack Dover was in attendance both nights. Terry McCarl and Davey Heskin represented the Knoxville Raceway on Friday night. MSA regulars Scotty Thiel from Sheboygan and Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove towed all the way across Wisconsin to race with the UMSS. The Friday night preliminary show proved to be a challenge due to scattered showers moving through the area all afternoon and evening. The start of the program was delayed for an hour due to a late afternoon shower with another half hour delay later in the evening and occasional sprinkles throughout the night. In spite of the circumstances Ron Bernhagen provided an excellent racing surface that produced plenty of action. Friday winners included Jeremy Nelson in the Modifieds and Kevin Bradwell in the UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars. Jason Vandecamp won a rain shortened WISSOTA Midwest Modified Feature. The event boasted one of the largest crowds in the history of the track despite the uncertainty of the weather. Unfortunately the UMSS winged Sprint Car Feature had to be www.WheelsofThunder.net
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postponed until the following night due to a track curfew. Saturday night weather was beautiful and Friday night's delayed Feature was run early in the evening. Lee Grosz, grandson of former World of Outlaws car owner Doug Howells, was Brooke Tatnells recommended replacement in the Nelson 14. The multi time Australian champion and former regular with the World of Outlaws is currently sidelined by a non-racing foot injury. Doug Howells lent a hand setting up the car and Lee won the Friday night make up Feature. The race was marred by a crash that required a long delay to extract Scott Broty from his damaged car. Broty was going full bore down the backstretch and ran head first into the tractor tires that shield the concrete wall at the pit exit. Some witnesses reported that there might have been incidental contact and a gouge in the track surface leading up to the site of the crash verified that Broty was unable to steer the car. Scott was released from the hospital the next day after suffering two fractured bones in his back. Broty said that the fractures will heal without surgery or a back brace but he decided to sit out the remainder of the season and will concentrate on helping his son James. In another scary incident later in the evening Austin McCarl got into the marbles (dirt track term for loose clumps of dirt) resulting in a crash at the exit to the pits. The car caught fire and McCarl managed to remove his belts and escape without injury. The Midwest Modifieds ran unsanctioned on Saturday and Josh Brazey picked up the Feature win. Cam Schafer was the Feature winner in the UMSS Traditional Sprints and Scotty Thiel won the UMSS winged Sprint Car Feature. Thiel made an exciting late race pass in what proved to be one of the best UMSS Features this writer has ever seen at the Saint Croix Valley Raceway. Chris Graf looked to have the UMSS Feature in the bag until a broken shock mount bolt caused him to spin out and restart at the tail of the field. Pole sitter Lee Grosz ran well and looked to have a shot at a sweep but a spin and restart relegated him to an eight place finish. 2013 marks the fifth season for the UMSS and their car counts in both the winged and non-wing divisions are continuing to grow. At the time of this writing the UMSS winged Sprints have run six races and lost Page 26
Jennifer Eriksen (10X) got tangled up on the backstretch and took a tumble going into turn 3 in her sharp-looking black and purple sprinter.
Eriksen's flipping car takes a solid poke at the wing of Sye Anderson's #37. Anderson would stay upright and head to the pits for repairs.
Jennifer is one of three women who regularly compete in the UMSS Winged Sprints, joining Victoria Knutsen, and Anna Kouba in the series.
six to weather. The UMSS winged Sprint Car schedule was put together with back to back Friday and Saturday dates throughout the season with the lone exception being the Jerry Richert Sr. Memorial at Cedar Lake. The next appearance for the UMSS at Saint Croix Valley has been billed the Dan Grams Memorial and will take place on Friday July 26. Grams was a 360
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driver based out of Gaylord, Minnesota, who tragically lost his life in a highway accident. You can visit the UMSS website at umsprints.com for more detailed schedule information. For more information about the Saint Croix Valley Raceway visit their website at scvraceway.com.
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Anoka, MN Custom Car Show
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30+ Vet-A Suzuki rockstar Mark Arends consults with his seat specialist prior to the start of Moto 1. Mark would go on to kiss the trophy girl (figuratively speaking) from the top step of the podium at the end of the day. Page 36
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une 30 2013 dawned as another stunning summer day in on the outskirts of beautiful, quiet Brook Park MN for round 4 of the Civil Series North/South Shoot-out at picturesque Berm Benders Raceway, although it wouldn!t be quiet for long! With morning temps in the mid fifties and a light breeze, it was promising to be a great day for racing.
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Written and photographed by Keith McKenna
After the riders meeting and the singing of the U.S. and Canadian National anthem’s, racing kicked off promptly at 9:30-am with the 50 cc oil injected class up first on a perfectly groomed track that saw fast racing all day long. In race one #246 McCoy Leger from Brook Park wheeled his Cobra racer to a first place finish. He would back that result up with a strong finish later in the day to claim 1st place on the day in class with Caleb Bohmman taking second place honors and Jacob Bostrom from Mora coming in third. Brother McCall Leger raced to fourth in class on his KTM. McCoy would mirror that performance in the 50cc Single or Multi-speed 4-8 class to stand atop the podium twice on the day. Another double winner on the day came in the 85cc class with #223 KTM mounted Austin Aspros wheeling to the top spot in the 9-11 and also the 9-12 year old classes. In the 85cc 12-15 class, #242 Jaysen Breitzmann piloted his KTM to first place with Suzuki RM85 mounted Zach Strecker second and #104 Scott Rasmussen Jr coming in third on a Kawasaki. In Girls Junior 9-12 racing #500 Piper Romfo wheeled her Kawasaki to the top step with a commanding victory in her class. A name to watch in District 23 is that of Spencer Henrikson from Dalbo MN. Pilot-
Zimmerman speedster,kawasaki KX250F mounted Kyle Swenson sweeping through a fast right hander heading into the back section while leading the #627 KTM piloted by Michael Mikrot in the first moto of 250A racing. Kyle would go 3-3 for third overall.
ing his #32 Kawasaki KX-250, he must have been whipped after climbing to the top of the podium 3 times on Sunday with victories in Junior 14-16, 250B and 14-25B racing action. In the 250 B class Ski-Doo sponsored ISOC Sno-Cross Pro-Lite fast guy Travis Muller was making the most of warm temps and no snow during the summer to grab second place with a 2-2 finish in the class in his immaculately prepared KTM while Yamaha mounted John Schulte from Lindstrom captured third place. In the 25+A Class, the top 5 manufacturers were represented with #302 Kawasaki racer Scott Jendro first followed by Yamaha mounted Jacob Bostrom. Honda was represented by #248 Matt Zebro from Zimmerman, MN and Mark Arends Suzuki heading the KTM of Michael Mikrot. In the 25-C class Jay Kangas(Kaw), Troy Lowry(Yam) and Nick Leaf(Suz) came home 1-2 and 3 in class. Jay Kangas also pulled down first place in 30+ Vet-C racing on the day.
Bike #1-Adam Godfrey (Kaw) fighting for traction out of the gate toward the first turn in the Jr 14-16 250cc race on his KX250F en-route to a second place overall finish. August 2013
In 50+ action, Theodore Schulte from Lindstrom grabbed first place honors with Gary Johnson on his Honda coming home second and David Larson holding down third place on his Yamaha. www.WheelsofThunder.net
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A moto action #162 Honda mounted Kody Graba and # 575 Connor Ahlers(also on a Honda) fought bar to bar for the entire race that saw metal to metal contact numerous times with at one point, Graba being punted off the track in the final u-turn before the long spectator triple jump. He was not going to roll over though, as he poured on the coals to catch back up to Ahlers Honda in a bid for the win that would see the front runners swap the top spot many times each lap. On the final lap the riders would be seen flying through the rhythm section at full boil, tapped out, elbow to elbow with it all coming down to the last corner. In the end, Mr Graba’s Honda Troy Lowry from Princeton MN, throwin’ down some heavy chops in the 30+ VetC division, ending up going 2-2 for second on the day.
Red Rider #110 Honda speedster Garry Johnson taking some flak during overtaking maneuvers during the 30+Vet-A first moto on his way to capturing second place gold!
In the Women’s class, diminutive racer Andrea Godfrey declared that she would be the Holeshot Queen of the day, and she did not disappoint when both races saw her exit turn one with a clear track ahead. Andrea would fall victim to circumstances beyond her control, but still managed to finish fifth on the day while #77 Suzuki mounted Mariah Braastad would take the top spot for the day with Allison Larson using her Yamaha to carve out second place with Kala Swenson from Zimmerman, MN pulling down third place.
Brad Bauer from River Falls Wisc, was the Big Shooter in the 14-24C class going 3-1 on the day, showing little mercy to the competition, on his KTM.
In what had to be the race of the day, in 250 would not be denied as he grabbed the win by the slightest of margins in what will go down in my personal history as one of the tightest, most suspenseful brawl’s in motor racing that I have ever seen.
Little girl on a big bike. Andrea Godfrey putting notice to all comers, You want to beat me, you gots to go around me, because mine will be the first bike through turn 1. Andrea laying down the power on her big brothers Kaw KX250F
A big shout-out to Kurt and Kelli Caswell and their Merry Band of Volunteers that made for a great, fast paced day of memorable racing. They run a first class operation at Berm Benders Raceway.
Kawasaki pilot Spencer Henrikson applying some pain the the track, setting a blistering pace on his expertly prepped KX250F, in the sprint to the top step in the hotly contested 250B race. Page 38
For any potential race fans that might want to ride their road bikes up to check out the action from the Twin Cities Metro area. A hop onto Highway 47 North to 23 East is a beautiful and relaxing ride. So, pack a lunch and a cooler and come on up and join in the fun. We!ll see you there!
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ISOC Snow-cross Pro-Lite stand-out Spencer Cowing trading snow machines for dirt bikes, racing his Kawasaki KX to a 10th place finish in the full 14-24C field. August 2013
#1 Kawasaki KX250F piloted by Andrea Godfrey of Princeton MN, approaching the finish line jump en-route to a 5th place finish.
#302 Scott Jendro on final approach over the massive high speed triple at the back of the course, garnering the spoils of victory in 25+A racing.
In the battle for 250-A supremacy, this was about the widest gap between first and second place in a brawl like no other. #575 Connor Ahlers and #162 Kody Graba fought hammer and tong for the spoils of victory with Kody eventually coming out on top.
Crowd pleasers # 456 Brett Jasperse and Jordon Rapp #100 flying in formation over the spectator triple in moto 2 of the 14-24B class finishing 7th and 8th respectively.
#794 Michael Schack of Hugo MN leads the #250 Kawasaki of Tyler Seiberlich through the entrance to the back section before the rhythm section on Open-C 12+ racing action. Schack finished fourth while Seiberlich ended up in second for the day. August 2013
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Written by Tami Jo Kuehn Photography by Jacy Norgaard and Bailey Sens
riday July 5, the Princeton Speedway had a 4th of July Celebration night with the WISSOTA Modifieds going four wide around the track, holding American flags to the song “Proud to be an American.” Fans cheered and rose to their feet to honor the drivers and our great country.
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Mother Nature was not so kind to the Princeton Speedway this past month. One week, half the night of racing was completed before lightning grew too close to the track for comfort. The following week, sheets of rain poured down as the gates opened. These back to back weeks of weather issues, geared the Princeton Speedway up for a night of ten feature races. WISSOTA Make-up features ran first through the night with Bud Martini, Kyle Thell, Dan Gullikson and Andy Jones taking the feature wins. Princeton Hornets took the track and
Matthew Dibb quickly worked his way from fourth into the lead and didn’t look behind him. Dibb grabbed the win and Zac Hribar and Dannie Burkholder as the top three. The WISSOTA Street Stocks kicked off the nights regular features with Kurt Becken grabbing first and Brad Schmidt taking second. The feature was plagued with cautions, but Becken led the whole race and took the trophy home with Brad Schmidt, Ryan Kostreba, Kyle Howland and Justin Pogones were the top finishers. Kyle Thell, Andy Mayavski and Dean Larson all battled for first as the green dropped for the WISSOTA Mod Four Feature. Thell quickly took the lead and Landon Atkinson took second and started to chaseThell. Atkinson caught Thell with two laps to go, but Thell was able to hold him back and took his second feature win of the night. The WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds were up and they ran their feature flag to flag. 14 year old Jeffrey Lien, Jr. grabbed the lead when the green flew with Dave Siercks making his way into second. Bud Martini however, passed them claiming the lead. Lien, Jr. and Siercks got second and third with Martini getting the win. The WISSOTA Super Stocks also ran a caution free feature. Donnie Lofdahl claimed the lead when the green flew with Dan Gullikson taking second. Gullikson passed Lofdahl and immediately drove away from the others. Gullikson set the cruise and took the win.
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Dirt track racing is a great sport, and a truly great way to spend a night with the family. The family friendly atmosphere at the Princeton Speedway encourages a fun, safe night of dirt flying entertainment. The racing is always good in Princeton, so put us on your calendar and we will see you next Friday!
Jeff Patchen and Jeffrey Lien, Jr. took first and second as the green flew for the final feature of the night. Eric Martini took over second and moved around Patchen taking the lead. Martini kept the competition back and took the WISSOTA Modified feature win.
Championship. Championship night always brings out some of the best racing, and with close points in the car classes, the battles should be intense. August will be a great month, you won’t want to miss a night of action! Looking forward to September, the Princeton Speedway will host the P-Town Showdown. The first two day WISSOTA racing special the track has ever hosted. The event will be two complete shows and will feature WISSOTA Modifieds, Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds, Street Stocks and Mod Fours as well as the Princeton Hornets. There will be camping and other features available at the track these days, keep your eyes on the website for more information.
Racing begins every Friday at 7pm, check out the website at www.princetonspeedway.com and facebook by searching Princeton Speedway.
With the Racing Season half over, we look forward to the final month’s activities. The first week of August kicks off with a regular night of racing. The following Week, August 9 there won’t be races, but all are welcome to go to the fairgrounds for the Mille Lacs County Fair. August 16 the UMSS Sprint Cars will make their second trip to the Princeton Speedway for the Kouba Memorial night. The Sprint cars always put on an exciting show as they fly around the quarter-mile bullring track. The 23 of August will be our final kid’s night at Princeton with fun activities and free admission for kids at the track. The month will end on the 30 with the Season
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or two days in June, the Minnesota State Fairgrounds is the one place you want to be if you’re into old bikes. The Viking Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America hosts their annual National Meet. It’s not just a bike show. An AMCA National Meet is a huge event packed with more activities then you’ll ever possibly squeeze into two days. Sure, their indoor display is one of the largest and most diverse in the Midwest (174 vintage machines this year), but you’ll also have the chance to go on old bike rides, swap for old parts, camp under the stars, listen to experts give their motorcycle restoration secrets and maybe bump into motorcycle celebrities.
F
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The diversity of machines you’ll find at a Viking AMCA National Meet is mind blowing. You'll see familiar American motorcycles like Harley Knuckleheads and Indian Chiefs. There's also plenty of familiar British iron like Triumph and BSA. But you'll also see things you've never heard of like the Swiss military bike, the Condor. And you'll find rare machines that you thought you'd never seen in person like Vincents and Ariels. To add to the variety of their display, the Viking Chapter teamed up with the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club to display their amazing bikes too. All told, their display included machines from a second year 1903 Indian all the way
to the 20 year old cut off for VJMC machines (1993). Many of the bikes are immaculate restorations, but there’s a lot of original paint, unrestored gems and plenty of modern customs built from vintage stock. One of the most eye catching examples of a modern custom with antique roots is the flat-track racer campaigned by Brittney Olsen. A female motorcycle racer is rare, but one that rides a 90 year-old machine on a dirt flat track is unheard of. But we got to meet Brittney and have her explain her amazing machine during the Viking Chapter meet. "The engine is completely stock '23 Harley J model, although it has a lot of the common improvements that you'd find on any early 20th century race bike." The displacement totals 1100 cc. It may look small but it has a lot of power and will reach speeds up to 80 mph. Asked about the unique looking frame, Olsen replies "I needed a frame that would work with my body. I visited a lot of museums and collections of old Harley and Indian racing bikes so that I could get a feel of what worked and what didn't. Then I choose the right frame and right handlebars to give me the control I need for such a powerful motor on a small, slim bike". Motorcycle racing is scary business, and racing antique motorcycles adds new challenges to an already harrowing experience. "The bikes are required to have no brakes, and only one gear. Then there's the risk of parts breaking or even crashing during the race." However, Olsen is no stranger to
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California. The crowd got the treat of hearing Matt and Brittney describe the build of the 1923 bike, and other tips and tricks from Matt’s award winning restorations. You can learn more about the Olsens and their unique motorcycles at 20thcenturyracing.com
racing for she started racing quads at the age of 12 then quickly progressed to drag racing a 1969 Camaro only weeks after obtaining her South Dakota drivers permit. Plus, Brittney has quite a team backing her up. Her husband, well-known HarleyDavidson restorer and custom bike builder, Matt Olsen, has gotten plenty of help from builders and antique motorcycle racers like Michael Lange, Matt Walkser, Jim Wall and George Hood. Matt grew up around old motorcycles and has proven his custom builder chops time and time again. Most recently, Matt’s Knucklehead took first place at the Born Free 4 show in Silverado,
Following up on the Olsens was probably the most famous shop teacher in the Midwest – Kevin “Teach” Bass. Kevin described to the crowd how he is bringing up another generation of vintage bike addicts in his shop class at Kennedy High School located in the Bloomington suburb of Minneapolis. His student’s bikes have won many awards at shows like the Donnie Smith show and other bike build-off competitions. Kevin thanked the crowd of vintage bike enthusiasts for all the support that they’ve given to his program over the years. The Viking Chapter has raised hundreds of dollars for the Kennedy High School program and their members have volunteered in his classroom to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.
spidering out from the fairgrounds, their organized rides included quite a few Cushmans and even a Whizzer along with their usual contingent of old Harleys and Indians.
But the diversity of the machines at a Viking Chapter meet could be best seen from within their indoor display. A rusted and corroded NSU sits partially under a fishing net. Next to it was the local newspaper article describing how it had been literally “fished” out of a Minnesota lake where it had spent 56 years after being ridden through the ice. Down the row sits a perfectly unrestored, 1913 “Pope 4” dis-
A Viking Chapter meet is packed with ways to learn about and enjoy old motorcycles. With perfect weather for most of the two days, the parking lot was full of bikes including many vintage bikes drawn in from around the region. A steady stream of bikes was a show in and of itself. The club organized rides on both days of the meet that were open to anyone, members or not, even if they didn’t have an old bike. But with many tree lined and twisty parkways playing the height of technology a hundred years ago in a cutting edge, American made machine. Compared to the 100 year old Pope, a 1923 Harley sitting on a motorcycle lift seemed relatively modern. But that machine collected a huge crowd not only for its unrestored and original beauty, but the ingenious wooden mechanics stand. Long-time residents of the Twin Cities recognized the name of the mechanics stand as belonging to Egeberg’s Motorcycles – the family that sold Indians and Harleys for seven decades. As luck would have it, I found Howard Wagner at the show. At 86 years old, I knew that Howard had actually worked at Egeberg’s back in the late '50s. I showed him the stand and he remembered wrenching on that very bench over sixty years ago! If you love old bikes and have any chance to get to St Paul, the Viking Chapter will be
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hosting their National Meet again next year on June 12th and 13th. But you don't have to wait that long to see their beautiful machines. They will be out in full force again at the Wheels of Thunder All Motorsports Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center, October 18th and 20th. And just like
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the diversity of Motorsports that you'll see represented at that show, you can expect that the Viking Chapter display will include bikes from around the world and across the 20th century! For more information, visit vikingmc.org
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10 Reasons to be an A.B.A.T.E. of Minnesota Member • All A.B.A.T.E. of Minnesota programs are geared to maintaining or improving the rights and safety of motorcyclists. We have an annual Bikerday at the State Capitol in St. Paul to let our legislators know we care about the decisions they make regarding motorcyclists. This event brings over 500 citizen-bikers to the Capitol. We also lobby our federal elected officials constantly for the same reason. We encourage our members to develop a strong relationship with legislators. Then when a motorcycling issue comes up we are not seen as statistics on a page, but real people who live, work and vote in their community. • We strongly promote motorcycle safety training. Many chapters schedule the Experienced Riders Course (now called BRC2) for their members or cover a portion of the costs for the ERC and Basic Rider Courses (BRC). • One of the benefits of your membership is our monthly newsletter “Road Noise”. The Road Noise is a wealth of news and
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information that all bikers value.
hundreds of charitable and educational groups throughout the state.
• Through our Share the Road program tens of thousands of students, senior citizens, and service groups have been educated on awareness of motorcyclists. Our members spend a couple hours explaining to students taking their drivers training class why it is important to watch for motorcyclists while driving. Your life may have been saved because a driver you encountered on the road has been trained by our volunteers.
• Its your ride – do all you can to protect it!
• Every April we hold A.B.A.T.E. University at the Holiday Inn, Alexandria, MN. A.B.A.T.E. U provides safety and legislative workshops for all motorcyclists. And the Saturday night social is always a big hit.
As you can see, there are many pieces to the motorcycle rights and safety puzzle. But the cornerstone is our members. We could not enjoy these successes without you. Please ask all of your riding friends and family to join and support A.B.A.T.E. of Minnesota.
• Realizing many of our members enjoy contributing to worthy causes A.B.A.T.E. secured a charitable gambling license many years ago through the State of Minnesota. Our raffles have proven quite successful and the profits have benefited
Yours in freedom, Mack Backlund, State Coordinator
• Discounts at participating shops and reduced insurance rates at participating companies. • Free accidental death and dismemberment insurance. • Admission and discounts to A.B.A.T.E. social functions.
ABATE of MN • 763-226-9195 www.abatemn.org
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Written by Stan Meissner Photos by Steve Casper I had a conversation with a friend a week after the annual World of Outlaws race at the Cedar Lake Speedway. He confessed to not being much of a Sprint Car fan preferring the Late Models but he admitted that this year's World of Outlaws Feature was the best Sprint Car race he has seen. Our conversation turned to some of the wild action that took place and the one incident that stood out above the rest for him was the Davey Heskin flip. When Jeff Stacken says that a race was exciting and that a crash got his attention you can take it to the bank. Jeff is the Cedar Lake flagman and he had a birds eye view of the World of Outlaws Feature. Heskin's car looked like it might come a little too close to the flag stand for comfort and Jeff says that he gave serious thought to bailing out of his “office”. Page 54
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Jerry Zimmer Photo
The World of Outlaws were formed in 1978 and they have been visiting the upper Midwest since their second year of existence. Their first foray into the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin area was on June 24, 1979, when Steve Kinser waged a heated battle with pole sitter Jerry Richert Sr. at the now defunct North Starr Speedway that used to reside off 35w in Blaine, Minnesota. Richert and Kinser had a wall banging, no holds barred battle with the young upstart Kinser taking the win over the veteran multi time IMCA Champion.
Jerry Zimmer Photo August 2013
Sammy Swindell finished third in this first of two Outlaw races held at the legendary half mile. The Outlaws made a second appearance at North Starr on August 12, 1979, with Doug Wolfgang taking the top spot. North Starr shut their gates for good at the end of the 1979 season. World of Outlaws Sprint Car races have been held at other nearby tracks including Jackson, Princeton, North Central and most recently Elko and I94. Their longest running stop in the upper Midwest, however, is the Cedar Lake Speedway where they have been appearing every season since 1983 with the only exception being 2006 when the track opted for another sanction. Cedar Lake winners over the years have included Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Bobby Davis Jr., Jac Haudenshild, Dave Blaney, Mark Kinser, Stevie Smith, Danny Lasoski, Craig Dollansky, Brooke Tatnell, Paul McMahan, Donny Schatz, Jason Meyers and Tim Kaeding. The Cedar Lake World of Outlaws show used to take place on Monday night but was moved to Sunday in 2007 to coincide with their annual Firecracker giving fans the opportunity to enjoy two consecutive nights of racing. The wildest race of the night was the second Heat race. The cars of Ryan Wilson (19) and Tim Kaeding (83) tangled in turn one resulting in a double flip. A split second later the machines of Bill Balog (17b) and the Kasey Kahne owned car driven by www.WheelsofThunder.net
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Daryn Pittman (9) made contact resulting in Outlaw points leader Pittman taking a wild ride at the entrance of turn three. Daryn climbed out of his wrecked car, stormed through the infield past our group of photographers over to where Balog was waiting out the red flag on the front stretch. Words were exchanged and Pittman ended the conversation with what amounted to a slap to the side of Bill's helmet. The crowd enjoyed the theatrics but the story behind the story was that crew chief Kale Kahne (Kasey's brother) would have to thrash in order to get the car ready for the B Main. The biggest story of the night revolved around one racing team that was waiting for their driver who was not able to make it to the track. Tony Stewart was scheduled to drive his TSR #14 Sprint Car and the Cedar Lake Speedway ran a huge promotion with ads on local radio stations heralding his appearance. The Kentucky Sprint Cup race was rained out on Saturday and moved to Sunday afternoon. The story I got from one of the track officials was that Tony's personal jet was in for FAA inspection and he was not able to make a commercial connection. I have met Tony on several occasions and appreciate his talent so I'm not star struck by race car drivers but I do understand that some of the crowd attended the race for the sole purpose of watching Tony race. I spent the night in the infield and could not hear Johnny Gibson but I understand that the track recognized this and offered a refund to those
who came there specifically to see Tony. As I mentioned at the outset, the World of Outlaws Feature was an awesome race. When all was said and done Sammy Swindell stood in Victory Lane. This was Sammy's seventh World of Outlaws Feature win at Cedar Lake with his first coming back in 1987. Joey Saldana finished second in the Dan Motter owned 71m and Steve Kinser got a podium finish as well coming in third. It's pretty amazing that two drivers who were present at the North Starr Speedway World of Outlaws race in 1979 are both competitive over thirty years later. Local Outlaw racer Craig Dollansky had a tough night having to work his way back up to fourteenth after spinning out twice during the course of the race. If you have not had an opportunity to attend a World of Outlaws race this season there are still some races in the upper Midwest remaining on their schedule. The Outlaws will appear in Grand Forks, ND, on August 16, Minot, ND, on August 18, Spencer, IA, September 13, and at the Deer Creek Speedway near Racine, MN, on September 14. Also, the Knoxville, IA, Nationals is coming up August 7-10. Remaining special events on the Cedar Lake Speedway schedule include the USA Nationals August 1-3, USMTS Modifieds August 14, the Jerry Richert Sr. Memorial on September 7, the Legendary 100 September 12-14, and a $10,000 to win Enduro on September 21.
Jerry Zimmer Photo
Sammy Swindell won the World of Outlaws Feature at the Cedar Lake Speedway on June 30 Page 56
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_________________ e l u d e h c S 3 __ 1 _ 0 _ 2 _ _ _ _ _ ________ JUNE 6/14/13 6/15/13 6/21/13 6/22/13 6/29/13 6/30/13
Mediacom Shootout
Jackson Speedway Knoxville Raceway River Cities Speedway I-94 Speedway Beaver Dam Raceway Cedar Lake Speedway
Jackson, MN Knoxville, IA Grand Forks, ND Fergus Falls, MN Beaver Dam, W New Richmond, WI
JULY 7/3/13
Huset's Speedway
Brandon, SD
AUGUST 8/7/13 8/8/13 8/9/13 8/10/13 8/16/13 8/18/13
Knoxville Nationals Knoxville Nationals Knoxville Nationals Knoxville Nationals
Knoxville Raceway Knoxville Raceway Knoxville Raceway Knoxville Raceway River Cities Speedway Nodak Speedway
Knoxville, IA Knoxville, IA Knoxville, IA Knoxville, IA Grand Forks, ND Minot, ND
SEPTEMBER 9/13/13 9/14/13
Clay County Fairgrounds Deer Creek Speedway
Spencer, IA Spring Valley, MN
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Written by Mylie Lavold
T
It’s been a fun and busy summer at Buffalo River Race Park in Glyndon, MN but it’s not over yet! There is plenty of action still to come this season at BRRP. Other special event races fans won’t want to miss include the NLRA Late Model Special Legends on August 11th and the Ojibwe Forest Rally (Rally America) on August 24th where Ken Block and other rally favorites will compete in this Saturday morning SuperSpecial
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Regular Sunday night racing continues through August and into September, ending with the Corn Cob Nationals on September 7th and 8th. Each night is its own show (heats and features both nights). Corn feeds will follow races both nights with free corn on the cob for everyone. Speedway race director Duane Peterson says fans can look for 200 cars or more to converge on BRRP for this popular event. The 2013 season culminates with two big special events: The Night of Destruction Tuff Trucks Train Races & Roll Over Contest on August 31st and the MUDMAN adventure race on September 14th.
quer rock, mud, giant tires, deep holes and ruts and other obstacles that make up the terrain. Another option is to grab a couple of friends and enter the Train Races. “In these races, 3 vehicles are chained together,” says Rivers. “The front vehicle is the accelerator and steering, the middle vehicle is free floating and the rear vehicle is the brake person.” Contestants will make 8-10 laps around the oval and see who swings and slides across the finish line first.
If you have an old car or truck and like to get a little rowdy, the Night of Destruction Tuff Trucks Train Races & Roll Over Contest is your event. “Tuff trucks are the average old truck sitting in the back 40 that anyone can enter in,” explains Sales and Marketing Director, Brad Rivers. “You just need to make a few adjustments and you’re track ready.” Drivers are welcome to enter cars as well. In the contest, drivers push themselves and their vehicles to the absolute limit, trying to con-
The roll over contest is not for the faint of heart. The driver deliberately drives one side of their vehicle onto a ramp which causes their vehicle to roll over. The winner is the driver who guides their vehicle to the most rolls. There are no limits here. Drivers can take their pick of events, or enter all three. This could be the redneck event of the year!
With marathons and cutting edge events like Run or Dye hitting the Fargo Moorhead area this year, BRRP is bringing things to the extreme with the area’s first extreme 5K obstacle course. The MUDMAN comAugust 2013
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petition is open to all ages; in fact, it’s a great family event as long as you’re prepared to get dirty, really dirty. “The course will consist of roughly 15 obstacles that will test your strength, endurance and mental fortitude,” says the MUDMAN website. Obstacles are subject to change but are set to include: 1.
Mudhem (a field of mud hills and holes to work through)
2.
The Tank (a manmade pond to cross with rope and floats)
3.
Web of Lies (a spider web of ropes to climb through in the woods)
4.
Cargo Climb (12’ high cargo net a frame)
5.
Hay This is Fun! (runners will climb over stacks of large round hay bales)
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6.
Shrinkage (Ice, water, and gasping!)
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Cliff Hanging (climb up and over 3 walls.)
8.
Trenches (mud tunnels covered with plywood and more dirt)
9.
Hay This is Fun! (runners will climb over stacks of large round hay bales)
10. Trip Wire (rope 18” off the ground the runners have to high step over) 11. Hell’s Bells (12- 55 gallon drums hung from trees & swinging only inches apart) 12. Grease Monkey (Monkey bars over a mud pool) 13. Mud Slide (60’ inflatable water slide with a huge mud pit at the bottom)
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14. Hurricane Hill (Goodbye contacts! High powered snow making machine!) 15. Mud Belly (Belly Crawl under barbed wire 18” off the ground) 16. Stop-Drop- & Roll (leap over trenches of fire) Registration is open now at mudmanrace.com. With all of this still to come, BRRP will end the summer season in full gear! For speedway racing information contact: Duane Peterson, 701-371-6229 For advertising or VIP packages contact: Brad Rivers, BRRP@cableone.net www.BuffaloRiverRacing.com Facebook: Buffalo River Race Park
August 2013
SHREVEPORT, LA – June 2013 (Business Wire) High Lifter Products Inc., the leader in custom aftermarket ATV/UTV accessories and products, today announced the official race results from the 2013 High Lifter Quadna Mud Nationals held from June 20-23 at Quadna Mountain Park in Hill City, Minnesota. The inaugural event drew a huge crowd from the Northern United States and Canada and featured over 30 industry vendors. Page 64
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Over the course of four days, attendees could participate in a total of 10 competitive events or races which had cash payouts or prizes. In addition to the events and trail riding, the eXtreme Outlaw Concert Series sponsored by Yamaha featured Minnesota favorite The Johnny Holm Band. Scott Smith, President of High Lifter Products, said that hosting a mud riding event in the North was well worth the hard work. “It’s no secret that our team is a well-oiled machine when it comes to our annual event in Texas and they certainly didn’t let a new location throw them any loops,” Smith said. “Our experience with the riders of Minnesota and the Northern United States and Canada cannot be compared. We are truly grateful that we are able to bring a one-of-a-kind event like this to a part of the country that loves the outdoors like we do” Results and a description of each event are as follows:
Moto Alliance Bad 2 ‘da Bone – The show and shine competition gives ATV and UTV enthusiasts a platform to showcase their hard work in crafting a ride like no other. Winners are chosen by public ballot. 1st – Jason Smith, Midwest Performance - 2013 Can-Am Renegade 2nd – Jason Houle, Straightline Performance 2013 Can-Am Maverick 3rd – James Clark, XR Motorsports - Honda Cat (Arctic Cat Frame, Honda Motor) High Lifter Poker Run – Entry to this event was complimentary and open to all attendees. Participants raced to five stations around the park to have their poker cards punched. Prizes were awarded to high hand and low hand. High Hand – Cody Moline Low Hand – Ed Courtepu EPI Mud Bog Lite Class – This event was restricted to ATVs with engines 500cc and under, single cylinder. Participants showcased their machine’s durability as they raced through 150 feet of mud and water.
1st – Dwight Stelly, Performance Powersports of Houma - 2011 Arctic Cat 425 2nd – Josh Polikowsky, Minnesota Drive Line 2003 Honda Rubicon August 2013
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3rd – Colton Dock - 2000 Polaris Scrambler EPI Mud Bog Bogger Class – This event was restricted to ATVs with engines 700cc and under, single cylinder. Participants showcased their machine’s durability as they raced through 150 feet of mud and water.
chines durability as they raced through 150 feet of mud and water. 1st – Julia McGinnis, Team Gorilla Powered by Can-Am - Can-Am Outlander 800 2nd – Ben Forland, ATV Sleds - 2013 Can-Am Outlander XMR 1000 3rd – Josh Boyd, Paragon - 2012 Can-Am Outlander XMR 1000 EPI Mud Bog Open Class – This event was any type of ATV. Participants showcased their machines durability as they raced through 150 feet of mud and water.
Can-Am - 2013 Can-Am Maverick 1000 3rd – Heidi Boyd, Paragon - 2013 Can-Am Maverick 1000 Polaris Obstacle Course Challenge – Vehicles had to conquer tires, crushed cars, dirt hills, and water pits in this timed event.
1st – Mike Poolman, Cash Performance - 2007 Arctic Cat TBX 2nd – Josh Monroe, Team High Lifter/Polaris Racing - 2011 Polaris Sportsman 550 3rd – Adrian Bengtsof, Team Quad Shop Customs - 2004 Polaris Sportsman 700 EPI Mud Bog Pro A Class – This event was restricted to ATVs with engines 701cc and up, average length. Participants showcased their machine’s durability as they raced through 150 feet of mud and water.
1st – Dakotah Klein, Team Gorilla Powered by Can-Am - Can-Am Outlander 800 2nd – Steve Hittle, Team Gorilla Powered by Can-Am - Can-Am Outlander 3rd – Tim Sheldon, 2011 Can-Am Outlander 800 EPI Mud Bog Women’s Class – This event was restricted to women riders. Participants showcased their machines durability as they raced through 150 feet of mud and water.
1st – Tammi Brinkman, Team Quad Shop Customs - Can-Am 2nd – Scott Waldo, B-Team Racing - 2008 Arctic Cat Thundercat 1000 3rd – Ryan Marquardt, Mud Digger Motorsports - 2007 Can-Am Outlander EPI Mud Bog Pro B Class – This event was restricted to ATVs with engines 701cc and up, longer length. Participants showcased their ma-
1st – KC Zastrow, Mud Digger Motorsports 2012 Can-Am Outlander XMR 2nd – Tammi Brinkman, Team Quad Shop Customs - Can-Am 3rd – Julia McGinnis, Team Gorilla Powered by Can-Am - Can-Am Outlander 800 EPI Mud Bog RUV Class – This event was restricted to RUVs. Participants showcased their machine’s durability as they raced through 150 feet of mud and water. 1st – Daniel Peterson, 2012 Polaris RZR 900 2nd – Steve Hittle,Team Gorilla Powered by
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1st – Larry Folstad, NTXX 2nd – Zach Omara, Quad Central Motors 3rd – Dylan Maki, Maki Mud About High Lifter Products High Lifter Products, Inc. has been leading the industry in the development and marketing of unique, after-market accessories for UTVs and ATVs since 1996. Originally a one-man, hobby, High Lifter has since grown into a multi-million dollar corporation, operating a 27,700 square foot facility housing a retail showroom, warehouse, and performance shop. Based in Shreveport, Louisiana High Lifter has earned a reputation for product development and collaborations with several OEMs that greatly enhance utility and performance for customers in the ATV market. High Lifter is well known within its niche market for the creation of the largest outdoor, mudriding venue in the country. High Lifter plays host to tens of thousands of ATV riders from all over the globe each year at its annual Mud Nationals event in Jacksonville, Texas. High Lifter fans and customers know where to go for the best information, products and value. A comprehensive product catalog can be found at the company website, www.highlifter.com where visitors can also get the latest information, browse photo galleries, and participate in High Lifter’s popular online forum. Or, check out the latest from High Lifter at www.facebook.com/highlifteratv. August 2013
PRESS RELEASE! PRESS RELEASE! PRESS RELEASE! PRESS RELEASE!
SEE THROUGH OIL FILTER ASSEMBLIES Billet Connection has developed new patent pending Billet See Through Oil Filter Assemblies. These Filter Assemblies allow the user to visually see oil pumping through the filter, to help determine the condition of the oil. The filter assembly can also be quickly emptied in seconds for visual inspection of the filter element and the particles that were filtered out of the engine, even when filtering non transparent fluids like engine oil. This is done without draining or leaking any oil, unbolting or loosening any fasteners or fittings and without the loss of any oil out of the system.
problem. This will help avoid catastrophic engine failures. These filters are like having an insurance policy for your engine! Billet Connection has also developed speciality engine tools which make it easier for racers and engine builders to maintain and assemble engines. One of the tools they offer is a billet aluminum VALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR. This Spring Compressor comes with three different spring cups. It will fit stock and racing small block and big block Chevy, Ford, Chrysler, most
other makes and 1.650� diameter all-out racing springs with more than 450 pounds of seat pressure. Another tool just realeased is a PUSH ROD AND WRIST PIN CHECKING TOOL. This tool was designed because of the difficulty in checking the straightness and run out of tapered push rods and wrist pins of all sizes and types. Check it out on the web site! For more info and products call 509-467-7584 or go to www.billetconnection.com
See Through Oil Filters are also offered with a screw on disposable filter on them. These Filter Assemblies were designed for motor sports ran on dirt and other applications where the user wants to filter microscopic and dust particles out of the oil system. This filter assembly is also the best choice for marine and street use. The fluid first flows through the See Through Filter in which the filter element traps all the larger particles which can be viewed and inspected while the microscopic particles flow into the disposable filter and are filtered out of the oil system. Having the ability to see the filtered particles will help determine if the particles are from normal wear, or from components excessively wearing in the engine. This will show there is a problem before the motor acts like there is a August 2013
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H
ey “Wheelies” (that is, Wheels fans and outdoor types who would love to have snow on the ground 12 months of the year), great to be back with you! You get this great publication in many forms, in print, on line and via your phone. It’s the greatest and keeps you up to the minute on all things Racing. Dirt, bikes, many fast cars, Brainerd NHRA in August and big rigs…bring ‘em all on! GameON! hopes you are as excited that summer has finally decided to stick around and allow us to play! Thisissue of Wheels of Thunder is a textbook full of amazing pictures and unforgettable stories and it loads you up on the sponsor information you might need. GameON! TV also reaches so many of youwith our sports programming and you know by now that we broadcast in theDakota's and western Minnesota via MidCo Sports Network. GameON! lovessports, from the variety of professional, college & high school sports toall the outdoor events that dot our regional landscape. GameON's teamed up with Wheels of Thunder and just like you, we also enjoy the mostcomprehensive race magazine and website to be found! Wheels of Thundermagazine gets it and gets you the latest information, amazing pictures andall those terrific stories to the most passionate motorsports fans in thecountry!
Looking ahead, there's more special events and moments ahead for GameON!Each and every week GameON! comes to you in crystal clear full HighDefinition and our first APP (it's free to for Apple & Android phones) isavailable for your use! GameON! TV is now offering a weekly PODCASTavailable @ our show website www.GameOnTvMN.com. It's full of bits and pieces of sports from the regionand what's ahead on our weekly TV show. GameON! still serves as the leadinto the award winning FOX NFL pre game show on FOX's MY29 here in the TwinCities during the NFL Season.
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Please visit ourFacebook site (friend us @ GameON on facebook), our website @ www.gameontvmn.com and 24/7on twitter#gameontvmn. And we're always planning bigger and better shows at the bestIrish Pubs in the world, Kierans, The Liffey, The Local and Cooper! You arealways welcome to visit our live tapings and each week we list guests andupdates on the GameON! website as well as our Facebook site. Get upclose andpersonal with us!!
GameON! does what no other TV sports interview show (in the region) does. Weoffer a diverse and entertaining half hour of TV as we bring you the mostvisible and popular Minnesota sports figures. From the Vikings, the NBATimberwolves, the NHL Wild, the Twins and we visit with the Lacrosse Swarm.There's NASCAR and we're all over your favorite drivers, in fact, we justwelcomed X-Games Gold Medalist Levi LaVallee to a downtown Minneapolistaping.
GameON! Host Rod Simons has added baseball to his schedule, joiningthe new radio home for your Minnesota Twins @ KTWIN 96.3. Rod hostsThe KTWIN Final Call with longtime Minnesota radio personality JasonNagel after each and every Twins game. So, please join us for all thatsports offers us here in our great neck of the woods, via Wheels of Thunder,GameON! and KTWIN radio! And get your Vikings fix with our partner in one ofthe largest Vikings fan websites in the world, www.PurplePride.org. I've said it before andI'm saying it again! Get off the couch and get your GameON! Be a part of theexciting effort we're putting on! Here's to the spring fast approaching!Hope to see you at an upcoming GameON! taping!!
This show is interactive so we'd love to hear from you!
Keep your GameON!
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